Despite serious illness, Fall River native, New Bedford resident, says her son is still smiling

A Fall River native says that even a serious sickness has not stopped her son from smiling.

According to mother, Leeanne Pearson, on March 31, she woke up 7-year-old son Jazia for school like any other day. 10 minutes later his nose started to bleed. That nosebleed later led to a B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia diagnosis. 

(B-ALL) is a type of cancer where the body produces too many immature B-cells in the bone marrow and blood. It’s the most common type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and it affects both children and adults, but is more prevalent in children. B-ALL is considered a fast-growing cancer that can quickly spread and requires prompt treatment, often involving chemotherapy and other therapies.

Jaziah has been in the hospital since his diagnosis but hopes to be discharged soon so he can join his friends at Jacobs Elementary School in New Bedford who have lined his hospital room with get well wishes.

Leeanne describes her son as a happy, energetic, little boy, so full of life. Many of the photos and videos taken of Jaziah still show him smiling despite what he has faced. One even showed him dancing after winning at bingo.

While by her son’s side, Leeanne has been able to work remotely, however once he is released from the hospital and begins appointments, she won’t be able to work her normal schedule. That has led her to create a GoFundMe fundraiser as FMLA is not an option at this time, after using 9 of her 12 weeks to undergo a mastectomy with reconstruction before Jaziah got ill.

We wish Jaziah nothing but the best and hope he has many smiles for years to come.